Beowulf Quiz
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- 1.Who first started to settle in Britain in ca. A.D. 400?
- A.
Celtic druids
- B.
Norman priests
- C.
Roman emperors
- D.
Christian monks
- 2.In which year is it thought that the British pagan religions had been totally replaced by Christianity?
- A.
Ca. 499
- B.
Ca. 599
- C.
Ca. 699
- D.
Ca. 799
- 3.Which of the following is a Christian belief?
- A.
Fatalism
- B.
Fate
- C.
Revenge
- D.
Providence
- 4.“Animism” was typical of ancient tribes. Which of these options best describes this trend of thought?
- A.
That the energy obtained from meat and fish is vital for one’s spiritual wellbeing
- B.
That it is essential to maintain a positive outlook on life
- C.
That everything has its own soul or spirit
- D.
That humans are part of nature, as an animal species
- 5.In medieval numerology, which number represented perfection?
- A.
1
- B.
3
- C.
10
- D.
5
- 6.In the Anglo-Saxon world, what was considered the worst kind of punishment?
- A.
Torture
- B.
Public humiliation
- C.
Imprisonment
- D.
Exile
- 7.What was the Anglo-Saxon ritual of gift-giving called?
- A.
Widsith
- B.
Wyrsith
- C.
Wyrd
- D.
Wergild
- 8.Which of the following was considered a virtue and moral duty in Anglo-Saxon culture?
- A.
Forgiveness
- B.
Compassion for one’s enemy
- C.
Revenge
- D.
Removing of belongings before burial
- 9.What does the “King and Comitatus” relationship state?
- A.
That the Lord must provide shelter and riches to his thanes in return for protection
- B.
That the King must provide lands and titles to his children
- C.
That the tribe must promise to respect the laws and religion of the King
- D.
That the Lord and his thanes must commit themselves to a life of celibacy
- 10.Which of these rituals were carried out by Anglo-Saxon warriors before they went into battle?
- A.
Praying
- B.
Meditating
- C.
Boasting
- D.
Dancing
- 11.Anglo-Saxon epic poems were sung by which highly respected people?
- A.
Scops
- B.
Scaps
- C.
Scips
- D.
Scups
- 12.The mnemonic function is linked to the oral tradition of Anglo-Saxon literature. What was it used for?
- A.
To shock readers
- B.
To foreshadow events
- C.
To give hindsight
- D.
To aid memory
- 13.During the Anglo-Saxon period, the ruling motive of every noble life was what?
- A.
Love of glory
- B.
Family honour
- C.
Wealth and material possessions
- D.
Love of nature
- 14.In which of these centuries is Beowulf's plot set?
- A.
3rd Century A.D.
- B.
5th Century A.D.
- C.
7th Century A.D.
- D.
10th Century A.D.
- 15.In which of these centuries is the oral version of the anonymous poem thought to be composed?
- A.
4th Century A.D.
- B.
5th Century A.D.
- C.
8th Century A.D.
- D.
9th Century A.D.
- 16.When did two Christian scribes write the Beowulf MS.?
- A.
7th Century A.D.
- B.
9th Century A.D.
- C.
10th Century A.D.
- D.
12th Century A.D.
- 17.Before being moved to the British Museum in 1753, the Beowulf MS. formed part of a collection of medieval manuscripts assembled by which English antiquarian?
- A.
Sir Robert Bruce Silk
- B.
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton
- C.
Sir Robert Bruce Velvet
- D.
Sir Robert Bruce Jean
- 18.In which year was the Beowulf MS. badly damaged by a fire at Ashburnham House in Westminster?
- A.
1730
- B.
1731
- C.
1732
- D.
1733
- 19.The Beowulf MS. is mainly written in which dialect?
- A.
North Saxon
- B.
East Saxon
- C.
West Saxon
- D.
South Saxon
- 20.How many verses is Beowulf composed of?
- A.
2045
- B.
4892
- C.
3186
- D.
4573
- 21.Which of these is not a defining feature of Beowulf’s couplet structure?
- A.
A fairly free number of unstressed syllables
- B.
“Head-rhymes” of syllable-initial sounds
- C.
Two heavily stressed syllables in each unit
- D.
“End-rhymes” of the final syllable sounds
- 22.In the poem, each verse is divided into two sections, called hemistichs. Which literary device is used to create the pause in between the hemistichs?
- A.
Haltering
- B.
Parone
- C.
Caesura
- D.
Detention
- 23.The terms “orcneas” and “ealuscerwen” appear only once in Beowulf. What are they examples of?
- A.
Alliteration
- B.
Compound names
- C.
Personification
- D.
Hapax legomena
- 24.How would you describe the poem’s elegiac mood?
- A.
Lyrical
- B.
Dignified
- C.
Solemn
- D.
All of the above
- 25.Which of these kennings is not used in Beowulf to refer to the sea?
- A.
Sail-road
- B.
Bath-way
- C.
Whale-path
- D.
Tear-pond
- 26.Under which Old English poetic genre can Beowulf be classified?
- A.
Short elegy with lyrical tone
- B.
Riddle
- C.
Epic poem
- D.
Gnomic verse
- 27.Which of these literary devices particularly characterises the text?
- A.
Omniscient narrator
- B.
Onomatopoeia
- C.
Circumlocution
- D.
Malapropism
- 28.Which of the following is not a major theme in Beowulf?
- A.
Honour as a virtue in Anglo-Saxon life
- B.
Pride which can lead to negative consequences
- C.
Love vs. lust
- D.
Fate vs. providence
- 29.According to the poem, which elements construct a person’s identity?
- A.
Deeds and courage
- B.
Friendship
- C.
Lineage
- D.
A) and c) are correct
- 30.From which Northern Germanic tribe does Beowulf originate?
- A.
The Danes
- B.
The Angles
- C.
The Jutes
- D.
The Geats
- 31.What is the name of the great mead hall described in Beowulf as “the foremost of halls under heaven”?
- A.
Heorot
- B.
Feorot
- C.
Sheorot
- D.
Meorot
- 32.Hrothgar is the King of which tribe?
- A.
The Geats
- B.
The Danes
- C.
The Frisians
- D.
The Britons
- 33.For how many years has Grendel been terrorising the Danes before Beowulf’s arrival?
- A.
5 years
- B.
7 years
- C.
12 years
- D.
45 years
- 34.Before the epic battle between Beowulf and Grendel in the great hall, which of these events takes place?
- A.
Grendel falls asleep
- B.
Beowulf sharpens his sword
- C.
Grendel kills one of Beowulf’s men
- D.
Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother
- 35.Grendel and his mother are described as the descendents of which biblical figure?
- A.
Abel
- B.
Cain
- C.
Judas
- D.
Moses
- 36.How does Beowulf kill Grendel?
- A.
With a sword
- B.
By pulling off his arm
- C.
With a bow and arrow
- D.
By decapitation
- 37.After Grendel dies in the marshes, his mother decides to take revenge. Which warrior does she kill in the hall?
- A.
Hrothgar
- B.
Ælfhere
- C.
Wiglaf
- D.
Æschere
- 38.How does Unferth show Beowulf that he wishes to make amends with him?
- A.
By shaking his hand
- B.
By placing his helmet at his feet
- C.
By giving him his sword “Naegling”
- D.
By giving him his sword “Hrunting”
- 39.The sword which Beowulf finds on a cabinet and uses to behead Grendel’s mother is made of which metal?
- A.
Gold
- B.
Silver
- C.
Copper
- D.
Bronze
- 40.When Beowulf discovers Grendel’s corpse in the lair, what does he decide to do?
- A.
Cut off a lock of his hair to take to Geatland
- B.
Bury him under an Elm tree in Heorot
- C.
Wrap him in cloth and throw him in the lake
- D.
Sever his head to take to Heorot
- 41.What does Hrothgar give Beowulf to show his appreciation for killing Grendel’s mother?
- A.
He gives his daughter’s hand in marriage
- B.
He gives him the keys to his castle
- C.
He gives him the sword “Nægling”
- D.
He gives him a hug
- 42.After his triumphant return to Geatland, Beowulf does what?
- A.
Recounts his adventures to King Hygelac and Queen Hygd
- B.
Goes back home and sleeps for a whole week
- C.
Goes to his father’s grave and leaves his sword there
- D.
Gives his wife and children a treasure chest
- 43.Following the successive deaths of both Hygelac and his son, Beowulf becomes the King of the Geats, ruling wisely for how many years?
- A.
20
- B.
30
- C.
40
- D.
50
- 44.What does the slave-thief do to enrage the dragon before its fight with Beowulf?
- A.
Pulls its tail
- B.
Steals a cup from the treasure-hoard it was guarding
- C.
Eats one of its eggs
- D.
Throws a rock at it
- 45.Beowulf eventually manages to slay the dragon by stabbing which part of its body?
- A.
Head
- B.
Back
- C.
Side
- D.
Heart
- 46.When Beowulf realises that the dragon's bite is venomous and he is dying, what does he ask of Wiglaf?
- A.
To assure that his ashes are buried with the dragon’s treasure
- B.
To carry him to his castle to see his wife and children
- C.
To tell his troops to have a feast in his honour
- D.
To bring him some food and take off his armour
- 47.What does the gift of the golden torque symbolise in the poem?
- A.
Transferral of power
- B.
Lucifer’s flame
- C.
Religious salvation
- D.
Eternal youth
- 48.Beowulf’s funeral barrow overlooks what?
- A.
His castle
- B.
His favourite forest
- C.
The sea
- D.
The site where he killed the dragon
- 49.After Beowulf’s death, what do the Geats fear?
- A.
That Grendel’s uncle will seek revenge
- B.
That the dragon will haunt them eternally
- C.
That God will condemn them to eternal damnation
- D.
That enemy tribes from the North and South will attack them
- 50.Which two virtues need to find a balance in great rulers according to the text?
- A.
Prudence and courage
- B.
Patience and generosity
- C.
Intelligence and politeness
- D.
Tolerance and strength
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